Jul 26, 2011 08:25 GMT  ·  By

A PriceGrabber survey indicates that roughly 35 percent of smartphone users will purchase the iPhone 5 following its release, the company owned by Experian notes in a report, but only if the battery lasts longer, and the price decreases.

PriceGrabber, a part of Experian, is an online shopping site with more than 23 million unique shoppers monthly, according to their about-us.

They conducted what they simply call an ‘iPhone 5 survey’ of 2,852 Americans and found that that 35 percent of consumers plan to purchase the latest iPhone upon its release.

Of those 35%, just over half of the respondents indicated that they will buy the smartphone within the first year of release, while 30 percent plan to pick it up before year’s end.

14 percent will buy it within the first month, and 7 percent will buy it within the first week, the results of the survey, conducted from July 1–11, 2011, showed.

The research didn’t stop there, though. PriceGrabber also wanted to know what customers wanted from the new Apple smartphone.

Chief among their wishes is improved battery life. Indeed, while the iPhone remains a superior device in the smartphone industry, battery life is one area Apple’s handsets have failed to score high.

“When it comes to the new features shoppers deem most important in their decision to purchase the iPhone 5, practicality seems to reign,” PriceGrabber writes.

“When respondents were asked to select new iPhone 5 features most important when considering a purchase, 59 percent indicated a better battery life, and 55 percent are looking for cost reduction,” the shopping site says.

Some 46 percent said that they wanted the phone to be capable of roaming 4G networks, and 45 percent are hoping for a larger screen.

Quite a large number of respondents (42 percent) would also like an improved camera implemented, the study showed.

"Our survey data confirms the strong following Apple has built around its iPhone, with more than one-third of consumers planning to upgrade to the latest model only a little over a year following the release of the iPhone 4," stated Graham Jones, general manager of PriceGrabber.

"Anticipation and brand loyalty are certainly high, but in today's 24-7 work culture and uncertain economic environment, consumers are cautious to look for a reasonably priced phone that will perform optimally over an extended time period," Jones added.